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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29244852">Super Bowl LV</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/My_Alter_Ego/pseuds/My_Alter_Ego'>My_Alter_Ego</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Holidays [9]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>White Collar (TV 2009)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Football, Gen, Strange Bedfellows</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 10:48:32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,353</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29244852</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/My_Alter_Ego/pseuds/My_Alter_Ego</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Peter is invited to June’s house for a Super Bowl Party. He didn’t have a clue what was in store for him, but then June and Neal live in a different kind of world.</p>
<p>I know Super Bowl Sunday doesn’t officially count as a holiday, but I was at loose ends this morning, so I dashed this off as a little fill-in quickie. You can enjoy even if you don’t like football.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Neal Caffrey &amp; June Ellington, Peter Burke &amp; Neal Caffrey</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Holidays [9]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2025623</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Super Bowl LV</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Peter had all his ducks in a row. He had a case of beer, a double order of spicy hot wings, and a mammoth bowl of salsa dip all tucked away in his refrigerator, as well as generous bags of nacho chips in the pantry. These were all necessary preparations for watching Super Bowl LV on the tube. The actual event would be taking place in warmer Florida, giving the Tampa Bay Buccaneers homefield advantage. Veteran Tom Brady would be pitting his team’s athletic prowess against Patrick Mahomes and the defending Kansas City Chiefs.</p>
<p>“That’s a lot of food,” Elizabeth remarked as she took some milk out of the refrigerator for her coffee. “Are you expecting an army or just Neal?”</p>
<p>“I’m not expecting anybody,” Peter shrugged. “I did invite Neal over but he said he’s already committed to a Super Bowl party at June’s. He said I should join them, but I thought I should stay home with you, Hon.”</p>
<p>Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. “Peter, you know I think football is boring. What’s supposed to take an hour usually stretches on ad nauseum with replays, time outs, and, god forbid, sudden death endings because of a tie score.”</p>
<p>“But you like to watch halftime and all the commercials they put on every year,” Peter said hopefully.</p>
<p>“I like to watch the <em>Puppy Bowl</em>, Peter, not actual human beings acting like hyperactive canines chasing after a ball,” El replied fondly. “Now, I know this game is important to you, so take yourself over to June’s and watch it with people who know what’s happening on the field and care about the outcome.”</p>
<p>“I really don’t have a favorite in this matchup, Hon,” Peter objected. “It doesn’t matter to me which team wins.”</p>
<p>“Peter, please, for my sake, take your wings and your salsa and go over to June’s,” Elizabeth encouraged. “You’ll almost certainly have a good time.”</p>
<p>“But I probably won’t know anybody in that crowd that’s sure to be at the Ellington mansion,” Peter waffled.</p>
<p>“Just go, Hon!” El said as she practically pushed her husband out the door.</p>
<p>~~~~~~~~~~</p>
<p>Peter couldn’t have been more wrong about not knowing anyone when he was admitted by the maid to the Ellington mansion. Guests were knee deep and spilling out of the conservatory where a huge widescreen had been set up for viewing. As Peter looked around in fascination, he saw familiar faces—not exactly people he was on a first-name basis with, but people who were usually in the news for some reason. There were several appellate court judges, a few federal prosecutors, various politicians and lobbyists, and when Peter did a double-take, he spotted the mayor. To a man, they all had drinks in their hands and were rubbing shoulders with some other familiar characters with a different slant on the law. But for this evening, it looked as if everybody had hung up their gun belts at the door and were making nice.</p>
<p>Peter felt like he had stepped into an alternate universe as he froze indecisively with the bag of hot wings in his hand. Reality only manifested itself when Neal materialized at his elbow. “You decided to come!” the young con man beamed happily.</p>
<p>“I’ve got to say, this is kinda weird,” Peter muttered under his breath.</p>
<p>“Weird how?” Neal asked innocently.</p>
<p>“Well, weird like seeing crime bosses, court judges, and district attorneys all in the same room while a trial isn’t in progress to convict somebody. I actually saw the mayor. Is the governor going to make an appearance as well? Then I’ll know I’ve fallen down the rabbit hole.”</p>
<p>Neal laughed. “June has lived in New York City her whole life and she’s forged a lot of connections along the way. Just go with the flow, Buddy. It’s all good tonight.”</p>
<p>When Peter still looked like a deer in the headlights, Neal physically propelled him into the library where a generous open bar had been set up. Neal grabbed an imported bottle of beer for Peter and shoved it into his hand. As Peter immediately upended it, he caught sight of a group of male senior citizens clustered around Mozzie, who was seated at a desk with an accountant’s visor in place.</p>
<p>“Those are old friends of June and Byron’s from back in the day,” Neal explained. “And, of course you know Mozzie. He’s responsible for taking in the wagers.”</p>
<p>As if on cue, Mozzie looked up and waved. “Care to place a bet before kickoff, Suit? The over/under has dropped a full point from the 57 points when it opened.”</p>
<p>“These people are trusting him with their money?” Peter gaped.</p>
<p>“Like you said—strange times in Wonderland,” Neal laughed.</p>
<p>~~~~~~~~~~</p>
<p>Peter thought the next few hours were probably what Vegas looked like during Super Bowl. People were shouting, cheering, moaning, or swearing at different times during the action. Sports mania had leveled the playing field, and everybody thought their opinions were valid.</p>
<p>“Why the hell is the ref calling ‘unnecessary roughness’? Is this a game for sissies now?” one Italian capo growled in frustration.</p>
<p>“Just shut up, Carmine,” a federal prosecutor objected. “I never heard you complain when he called ‘intentional grounding’ on the other quarterback. You pay him off or something?”</p>
<p>“Like I’d need to,” the Italian snorted. “Pretty boy Tom Brady is goin’ down hard all by himself without any help from me. The Chief’s pass rush is the best in the league.”</p>
<p>“We’ll just see about that. Brady already has six Super Bowl rings. I actually placed my bet that says he’ll make it seven tonight.”</p>
<p>Suddenly, another insistent voice was heard. “If that boy, Mahomes, wants to eat up the gridiron while saving the clock, then he should make like Johnny U,” a grizzled old timer added his two cents. When the elderly man was met with blank stares, he explained.</p>
<p>“<em>The</em> Johnny Unitas, fellas. He quarterbacked the Baltimore Colts back in the day, and his quick look-in passes to Raymond Berry allowed the receiver to step out of bounds and stop the clock.”</p>
<p>“You actually saw John Unitas play?” the mayor was suddenly impressed.</p>
<p>“Yep, back in the day when the Colts played in two Super Bowls, losing to the New York Jets in Super Bowl III and defeating the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl V. Then new owner, Robert Irsay, snuck his team out of town and went to Indianapolis. It made him the most hated man in Baltimore and there were even death threats.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, I remember my father telling me about that,” another crime boss reminisced, “not that we agreed to a hit or anything. At least I don’t think so ‘cause that was <em>way</em> before my time.”</p>
<p>The mayor just rolled his eyes and turned to June’s old friend. “Well, Sir, I’ll want to talk with you after this game is over. I’ll bet you’re a veritable wellspring of football history.”</p>
<p>~~~~~~~~~~</p>
<p>Eventually, all good things come to an end in the contest of winners and losers. The big screen was shut down and shields were resurrected between different factions in New York’s war on crime. They collected their winnings, if they had wagered well, and then their hats and coats. They bid their hostess a fond farewell and left in chauffeur-driven cars.</p>
<p>“June, I really enjoyed myself tonight,” Peter said sincerely as he grasped the gracious matron’s hand.</p>
<p>“I’ll bet it threw you for a loop when you walked into my eclectic circle of acquaintances,” she smiled coyly.</p>
<p>“Well, it was a bit unexpected,” Peter replied sheepishly.</p>
<p>“Peter, Darling, you should have seen this place back in 2009 when the Yankees won the World Series in the sixth game against the Phillies. It was sheer pandemonium. Every A-lister in New York was here. It got so rowdy, Byron had to bring in bouncers!”</p>
<p>“Anybody get arrested?” Peter asked curiously.</p>
<p>“Well, no. We asked the then current police commissioner to temporarily deputize some of the Mafia’s muscle, and that kept the peace until the game was over.”</p>
<p>“Good times?” Peter asked with a smile.</p>
<p>“The best,” June answered softly.</p>
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